Three members of staff of Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE) have been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by an Ogun State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta, for embezzling N6, 577, 903.4 belonging to the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of the school.
The convicts; Mr. Samuel Adeyemi, Mr. Amuludun Tosin and Mrs. Temilade Yusuf who were Chairman, Acting Secretary and Treasurer respectively of NASU in the college were sentenced to jail terms of five years each by Justice A. Akinyemi following the establishment of guilt in a fraud and abuse of office case brought against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
ICPC, in a 5-count charge, told the court that the trio conspired to commit fraud by converting the money kept in First City Monument Bank by NASU for personal use contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
Counsel to ICPC, Enosa Omoghibo, in his final address convinced the court that the offence committed by Adeyemi, Amuludun and Yusuf amounted to stealing which contravenes Section 388 of the Criminal Code Act, Chapter 77 Laws of the Federation 1990, and punishable under Section 390 of the same Act.
He further told the court that the trio, after obtaining a loan from the bank on behalf of the members of NASU, fraudulently disbursed same among themselves. Adeyemi was also accused of paying N1, 331, 250 to Mr. Soetan Femi Ayoolu non-staff member of the college.
Adeyemi as Chairman kept N3.3 million, while Amuludun and Temilade got N1.88 and N1.3 million each as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.
The charge sheet reads in part, “Mr. Adeyemi Alaba Samuel (m); Amuludun Tosin (m) and Yusuf Temilade (f) all public officers of Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State, on or about 26th January, 2012, at Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State, conspired among themselves to use their positions as Chairman, Treasurer and Ag. Secretary respectively of Tai Solarin College of Education Non-Academic Staff Union (TASCE NASU) to confer unfair advantage upon one Mr. Soetan Femi Ayoolu, a public officer; by approving and advising First City Monument Bank , Omu-Ijebu to pay to him the sum of N1, 331, 250.00 which was part of the loan obtained from First City Monument Bank, Omu-Ijebu by Tai Solarin College of Education Non-Academic Staff Union for disbursement to its members, when the said Mr. Soetan Femi Ayoolu is not a member of the Union nor a staff of the Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State.
‘Adeyemi Alaba Samuel (m) a public officer of Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State, on or about 26th January 2012 at Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State, used his position as Chairman Tai Solarin College of Education Non-Academic Staff Union (TASCE NASU) to confer unfair advantage upon himself by approving and advising First City Monument Bank , Omu-Ijebu to pay into his account the sum of N2, 693, 203.14 which was part of the loan obtained from First City Monument Bank, Omu-Ijebu by Tai Solarin College of Education Non-Academic Staff Union for disbursement to its members, when he was not entitled to the said amount.”
The three accused were earlier arraigned on 8th October, 2015 and had pleaded not guilty to all the allegations leveled against them by ICPC, which set the tone for months of legal battle between them and the Commission.
Omoghibo convinced the court that the accused persons’ actions were a breach of trust and pleaded with the court to mete out appropriate punishment in accordance with the provision of the law, to serve as a deterrent to other public office holders and people in positions of trust.
Justice Akinyemi in his ruling found them guilty as charged and therefore sentenced them to five years imprisonment each without an option of fine.
